Apparatus for the reception, storage, and re-emission of positive and negative numerical values, especially for use with standard office machines



Feb. 6, 1962 E. SPINGIES EI'AL 3,019,980 APPARATUS FOR THE RECEPTION. STORAGE, AND RE-EMISSION OF POSITIVE AND NEGATIVE NUMERICAL VALU ES, ESPECIALLY FOR USE WITH STANDARD OFFICE MACHINES Filed Dec. 9, 1957 5 Sheets-Sheet 1 E. Spin ies 4H Rose.

1962 E. SPINGIES ETAL 3,019,980

APPARATUS FOR THE RECEPTION, STORAGE, AND RE-EMISSION OF POSITIVE AND NEGATIVE NUMERICAL VALUES, ESPECIALLY Filed Dec. 9, 1957 FOR USE WITH STANDARD OFFICE MACHINES 5 Sheets-'-Sheet 2 INVENTO/RS I 6P//v6/ y EQV W Feb. 6, 1962 E. SPINGIES ETAL 3,019,980

APPARATUS FOR THE RECEPTION, STORAGE, AND RE-EMISSION OF POSITIVE AND NEGATIVE NUMERICAL VALUES, ESPECIALLY FOR USE WITH STANDARD OFFICE MACHINES Filed Dec. 9, 1957 5 Sheets-Sheet 3 /3 l3 I/VVL'A TOITS M E. S am/5.5 and ml 10/ ,4, Ram

Q A M A Trek/v5 rs Feb. 6, 1962 E. spmsuzs ETAL 3,919,930

APPARATUS FOR THE RECEPTION. STORAGE, AND RE-EMISSION OF POSITIVE AND NEGATIVE NUMERICAL VALUES, ESPECIALLY FOR USE WITH STANDARD OFFICE MACHINES Filed Dec. 9, 1957 5 Sheets-Sheet 4 A r ram/Ens Feb. 6, 1962 E. SPINGIES ETAL 3,019,980

APPARATUS FOR THE RECEPTION, STQRAGE, AND RE-EMISSION 0F POSITIVE AND NEGATIVE NUMERICAL VALUES, ESPECIALLY FOR USE WITH STANDARD OFFICE MACHINES Filed Dec. 9, 1957 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 E fipinyies H R0563 United States Patent Ofiice 3 019,980 APPARATUS FOR TIiIE RECEPTION, STORAGE,

AND RIB-EMISSION F POSITIVE AND NEGA- TIVE NUMERICAL VALUES, ESPEtIIALLY FOR UE WITH STANDARD OFFICE MACHINES Erwin Spingies, Hamburg-Farmsen, and Herbert Rose,

Wohitori, Lauenburg, Germany, assignors to Brunsviga Maschinenwerlre Aktiengesellschaft, Braunschweig,

Germany, a firm Filed Dec. 9, 1957, Ser. No. 701,551

Claims priority, application Germany Dec. 13, 1956 3 Claims. (Cl. 235-172) This invention relates to apparatus for the reception, storage, and re-emission of positive and negative numerical values, and more specifically to an apparatus of this kind which can be electrically connected with standard ofiice machines selected from the group including typewriters and accounting machines, to perform additions and subtractions. The apparatus comprises storage mechanisms by means of which, for instance, any standard typewriting or accounting machine is capable of totalizing columnar and cross totals.

Storage mechanisms associated with accounting and,

calculating machines are already known in which the totals are accumulated mechanically. However, the totals accumulated in such known storage mechanisms cannot be directly recovered for the control of printing mechanisms or other associated machines.

Storage mechanisms are also known which can be elec-' trically connected with oilice machines and which operate on the principle of an electricity meter. However, these storage mechanisms accumulate totals only in one direction, i.e. either by addition or subtraction. Moreover, the digits of each decimal must be entered in succession. It is frequently desirable when making entries that the digits of the entered amounts should be accepted for storage simultaneously in all existing storage mechanisms. Known devices do not permit this to be done.

It is the object of the present invention to provide an apparatus of the type described in which, with a minimum expenditure of means, an arbitrary number of storage mechanisms can be combined and operated electrically by a control unit, and in which the different storage mechanisms are capable of simultaneously accepting individual numeral values for storage either separately, or in groups, or all together.

According to one of the specific features of apparatus according to the invention, for performing the abovementioned operation, the control unit actuates the storage mechanisms by impulse or voltage control and said storage mechanisms are optionally operable to perform additions or subtractions.

According to another feature of the invention, the storage mechanisms are operable from decimal to decimal in succession or simultaneously and are generally suitable for combination with accounting machines operating on the typewriting or the self-balancing principle.

According to another feature of the invention, the storage mechanisms are arranged in such manner that the accumulated totals can be recovered and electrically transferred by remote control to printing mechanisms, accounting or other ofiice machines.

According to still another feature of the invention, control relays are associated with the individual storage mechanisms so that all electrical control and transmission lines should be made available for multi-way working which is understood to means, for example, that the transmission lines should be available both for the introduction and the recovery of the numerical values.

The present invention provides an apparatus of the type set forth, which comprises a control unit, at least one elecire-mechanical storage mechanism, or accumulator, electrically connected with the control unit, means in said control unit for operating the accumulator, said meanscontrol of the accumulator, at least one relay-controlled digit transfor group, an impulse transmitter for clearing the values that have been stored, and a reversing switch means for true representation of the positive and negative values in the accumulator.

' Each accumulator comprises, for each decimal, a storage drum actuated by electromagnetic impulse-controlled stepping means. Each storage drum may comprise ten current conducting digit rings, each insulated from the other, a tens-transfer ring, and a restoring (clearing) ring, the digit rings and the tens-transfer ring having contacts relatively angularly displaced in relation to each other. A wiper arm applies to each of the digit rings a diiierent voltage. A second wiper arm is provided to tap one of said voltages from said contacts according to the position of the storage drum. Alternatively, each storage drum maycomprise ten relatively angularly displaced cams, each representing a digit, a tens-transfer cam, and a restoring (clearing) cam, from which the discriminating voltages, associated with value contacts, can be tapped by cooperating contact elements. Each storage drum of an accumulator has a separate transmission line optionally connectable for introducing information into the drum or withdrawing it for the same. The storage drums representing the same decimal order in the several accumulators are joined to one feeder and the individual accumulators may be operated selectively. A separate decimal carry-over group may be associated with each accumulator.

The described construction of the storage drum permits the accumulators to be readily modified for dealing with any kind of monetary or numerical system other than a decimal system.

The accompanying drawings illustratively represent by Way of example a preferred embodiment of the invention for decimal operation and with a storage capacity of ten decimals. In these drawings 7 a FIG. 1 is a block diagram of an apparatus according to the invention comprising a control unit and four tendigit storage mechanisms;

FIGS. 2a and 2b together show a complete circuit diagram of the control unit, illustrating the principle of its operation;

FIG. 3 is a Wiring diagram of a storage mechanism, illustrating the principle of operation;

FIG. 4 is a diagrammatic view of a storage drum;

FIG. 5 is a top plan view and side view of one digit ring of the storage drum;

FIG. 6 is a top plan view and a side View of a clearing ring;

FIG. 7 shows a digit cam;

FIG. 8 shows a clearing cam;

FIG. 9 is a schematic representation of the angularly displaced contacts of the several digit rings of a storage drum.

The same reference characters are used in the various illustrations for denoting the same components respective y.

As shown in FIG. 1, a control unit 20, which is illustrated in greater detail in FIGS. 2a and 2b, is associated with four electro-mechanical accumulators 21 to 24 which may be increased in number if desired. FIG. 3 illustrates the accumulator 21 arranged for four decimal orders.

Patented Feb. 6, 1962 A series of graduated voltages is supplied to the control unit 20 and the accumulators 21 to 24 through lines 50 to 59 (FIG. 3). A control cable 69, comprising lines 166, 183, 187, 200, 206, 224, 225, 229, and digit transmission lines 101 to 104 connect an accounting machine, which is not illustrated to avoid unnecessarily cluttering the drawings but which may comprise, for example, a conventional bookkeeping machine such as is illustrated in Patent 2,332,755, with the control unit 20. Any stored values are returned to the accounting machine via the same lines 101 to 104. Additional cables 80 may be provided for connecting the control unit 20 with other accounting machines, each cable 80 comprising a plurality of lines similar to cable 69.

Ten lines 30 to 39 common to all accumulators 21 to 24 and ten tens-transfer lines 10 to 19, for value transmission of ten decimals, connect the control unit 29 with the storage mechanisms 21 to 24.

Separate lines 41 to 44 lead from the control unit 20 to the individual accumulators 21 to 24 and serve for switching on said accumulators.

FIGS. 2a and 2b which together show a complete circuit diagram of the control unit 20 are to be joined by placing them together along the respective vertical lines a-a. FIG. 2b joins with FIG. 3 along lines l2-b.

The control unit 26 comprises stepping units 125 to 17.8, the number of which depends upon the number of digits the accumulators can handle, provision being made in the illustrative example for a storing capacity of only four digits. Associated in known manner with each of the stepping units 125 to 128 are three contact banks. Stepping unit 125 has contact banks 129, 133, 137; stepping unit 126 has contact banks 130, 134, 138; stepping unit 127 has contact banks 131, 135, 139; and stepping unit 128 has contact banks 132, 136, 140. Contact banks 129-132 serve for the entry of positive values and contact banks 133-136 for the entry of negative values as decimal complements, i.e. in the first decimal place as decimal complements of 10 and in the following decimal places as decimal complements of digit 9. Contact banks 137 to 149 control the continued idle operation of the stepping units for returning the same to zero position (zero-return) For the reception of the values, the re-emission and the zeroing (clearing) of the values entered in the accumulating mechanisms 2124 a series of relays 141 to 149 is provided, and another series of relays 150 to 152 is associated with the tens-transfer common to all the accumulators.

Relays 153 to 157, as shown in FIG. 2a, ensure true representation of the entered values, whereas a stepping unit 158 with associated contact banks 159 to 162 selects the accumulators concerned, a contact bank 163 controlling the zero-return of the stepping unit 158. The latter is controlled through relays 164 and 165.

The principle of the electrical lay-out of the accumulators is illustrated in FIG. 3. Each accumulating mechanism comprises, assuming its capacity is for storing tendigit numbers, ten storage drums. In FIGS. 1 and 3 only four storage drums 61, 62, 63, 64 are shown which are each stepped by a magnetic ratchet and pawl stepping mechanism 65, 66, 67, 68 of known construction, through a reversing gear 60 (FIG. 4).

Each of the storage drums 61 to 64 comprises ten separate current conducting digit rings 70 to 79 (FIG. 4) insulated one from the other and carrying contacts to 9 (FIG. 9). The graduated voltages supplied through the lines 50 to 59 are applied to the digit rings 70 to 79 by a Wiper arm 45.

The contacts 0 to 9 of the digit rings 70 to 79 are equidistantly spaced around the periphery of each of the storage drums 61 to 64 at angular intervals of 36 (FIG. 9). Each step of one of the magnetic ratchet and pawl stepping mechanisms 65 to 68 (FIG. 3) rotates the associated drum of the drums 61 to 64 through the angular distance between two consecutive contacts, whereas a wiper arm 81 to 84 which is common to all the digit rings 70 to '79 on each drum, remains stationary. Each of the wiper arms 81 to 84 will therefore always make contact with only one of the ten contacts 0 to 9 (FIG. 4) on the drum. In addition to the ten digit rings each drum further comprise a tens-transfer ring 97 with a contact 85 on the storage drums 61, a contact 56 on the storage drum 62, a contact 87 on the drum 63 and a contact 88 on the drum 64 (FIG. 3). Wiper arms 25 of each storage drum apply voltage to the tens-transfer ring 97 and a wiper arm 89 taps the voltage from the contact 85, a wiper arm 9&- from the contact 86, a wiper arm 91 from the contact 87 and a wiper arm 92 from the contact 88. A clearing ring 46 with a gap 26 on the storage drum 61, a clearing ring 47 with a gap 27 on the storage drum 62, a clearing ring 48 with a gap 23 on the storage drum 63 and a clearing ring 49 with a gap 29 on the storage drum 64 each cooperates with a feeding wiper arm 46 and one of collecting wiper arms 93 to 96 on the storage drums 61 to 64. The contacts 85 to 88 on the tens-transfer rings 97 are located on the periphery of each storage drum between contacts 9 and 0 of the digit rings 79 and 75) (FIG. 9). The gap 26 in the clearing ring 46 and the contact 0 on the digit ring 70 are arranged to be in axial alignment so that the wiper arm 81 will close the contact 0 at the same time as the wiper arm 93 is exactly over the gap 26 and thus breaks the restoring circuit. The gaps 27-29 in the clearing rings 47-49 are arranged in a similar manner.

Relays 98 to 101 control the storage and withdrawal of information as well as the zeroization of the storage mechanisms.

The conditioning of the acceptance of incoming information is effected by the relay 98 with its associated contacts 105 to 111, whereas the conditioning for the return of outgoing information is effected by the relay 99 with its associated contacts 112 to 115. Relay 98 is energized through line 599 which is connected via contact 171 of relay 141 to the power supply 55) and which, through the wiper arms 25, at the same time applies voltage to the tens-transfer rings 97.

When the relay 98 is energized, the closure of the contacts 105 to 108 connects lines 30 to 39 via the released contacts 112 to of the relay 99 with the magnets of the ratchet and pawl stepping mechanisms 65 to 68. The return connections from the stepping mechanisms 65 to 68 and from the relays 98 to are the control line 41 of the accumulator 21, the control line 42 of the accumulator 22, the control line 43 of the accumulator 23, and the control line 44 of the accumulator 24. The control lines 41 to 44 are only energized if applied by the contact arm of the contact bank 159 of the control unit 26. The wiper arm 89 to 92 of the tens-transfer rings 97 transmit the carry-over from each decimal through the lines 16 to 13 (FIG. 3) to the control unit 2%, connection with lines 11 to 13 being established through the operated contacts 109 to 111 of the relay 98.

The second supply line 510 leads from contact 203 of relay 142 to relay 99. If both relays 98 and 99 are energized, lines 30 to 39 will be connected through the closed contacts 112 to 115 of the relay 99 with the wiper arms 81 to 84.

For clearing the values entered in the storage mechanisms 21 to 24, that is to say for returning the drums 61 to 64 to their positions of rest (zero positions), the relay 148 is energized by the selected accounting machine via line 225. Relay 148 applies a voltage through its contact 226, the released contact of relay 141 and the tenstransfer line 11 as well as through the released contact 199, of relay 98 to the clearing relay 1%, the latter being connected to the negative line via line 41 and contact bank 159 of the stepping unit 158. Through the tenstransfer line 12, the released contact 111) of relay 98, and an operated contact 116 of the relay 100, pulsating voltage is applied to the wiper arms 40 of the clearing rings 46 to 49, which is applied by relay 149 in a known manner and which via the wiper arms 93 to 96, the released contacts 105 to 108 of relay 98, and the released contacts 112 to 115 of relay 99 energizes the magnets of the ratchet and pawl stepping mechanisms 65 to 68 until the wiper arms 93 to 96 have reached the gaps 26 to 29 and again disconnect the magnets of the ratchet and pawl stepping mechanisms.

The wiper arms 93 to 96 will therefore transmit voltage to line 13 via rcctifiers 117 (voltage valves) and the contact 111 of relay 98 and to the holding contact 228 of relay 148 through the released contact 193 of relay 141 until all the drums 61 to 64 have been zeroised and the relay 148 can release.

Each reversing gear 60 has a driving wheel 121 (FIG. 4) mounted on a common shaft with the relative drum 61 to 64. According to the desired direction of rotation of the drum (addition or subtraction either of gears 119 and 120 is shifted into mesh with the driving wheel 121. Gear shift is controlled by a relay 122. The stepping mechanisms 65 to 68 each operate an input gear 118 and thus step the storage drums 61 to 64.

The function of the reversing gear 60 may be performed by reversing relays 143 (FIG. 2b) included in the control unit 20 for reversing the stepping units of the control unit 220 to produce the decimal complements of the negative digits that are to be stored.

Moreover, cams 123 or notches 124 (F168. 7' and 8) might be employed to replace the digit rings 70 to 79.

The manner of operation of the apparatus will now be described with reference to a practical numerical example. Let is be assumed that the values are entered in and recovered from the storage mechanisms by discriminating voltages and that no reversing gear is employed. This is attained by providing predetermined voltages, each representative of a particular one of digits 0 to 9. The power supply is so arranged that the negative terminal represents the negative line, which the terminal 50 forms the positive line for the operation of the apparatus. The voltage carried by the terminal 50 is at the same time utilized as the voltage representative of the digit 0, and the voltages at 51 to 59 are respectively representative of the digits 1 to 9. The accounting machine causes a voltage tobe applied through line 183, which is one of the wires included in the control cable 69, and this induces the stepping unit 158 to select one of the storage mechanisms, say storage mechanism 21. The wiper arm of the contact bank 159 applies negative voltage to the line 41. Step ping unit 158 selects an accumulator in the following manner: When the carriage of the accounting machine is adjusted to a column on the account sheet and travels into a column position, it applies a discriminating voltage to the line 183. When the carriage moves to the first column position, relay 164 is energized by the discriminating voltage. Relay 164 operates the stepping unit 158 via its contact, causing all wipers of the contact banks 159163 to advance on step so that for the first column of the account sheet, the first accumulator 21, is energized via the contact bank 159 and line 41. Simultaneously with the operation of the stepping unit 158, the re lay 165 is energized and interrupts, via its contact, the

connection between the line 183 and relay 164. Byits second contact, the relay 165 holds itself through line 183 until this line becomes currentless. Line 183 will be momentarily unenergized as the carriage of the accounting machine moves to the next column position of the account sheet. By the voltage applied in column position 2 of the carriage, the procedure is repeated and the stepping unit 158 energizes the next accumulator-by line 42.

Let it now be further assumed that it is desired to transfer the value 4" from an accounting machine to the storage mechanism 21. To this end voltage is applied from the accounting machine through line 166, which is another wire of the cable 69, to relay 141 which responds by closing its contacts 167 to 171 and 190, 192, 193. The contact 171 energizes the relay 98 in the storage mechanism 21 via line 500, and relay 98 moves over the line 101, the contact167 of relay 141, a contact 172 of the relay 142, contacts 176, 177 of the relay 143 to relay 178 and, further, through contact 177 of relay 143 to the wiper arm of contact bank 129. A contact 179 of relay 178 operates and a relay 180 is energized, clOSing its contact 181 to apply voltage to the stepping unit 125 which thus moves forward one step. A contact 182 associated with the stepping unit 125 is thereby opened and relay 180 tie-energized. Since the contact bank 129 comprises ten contacts for selection by the wiper-"arm and to each of said contacts a different voltage associated with a diiferent digit is supplied through the lines 50 to 59, the wiper arm will he stepped four times until the voltage applied across relay 178 is compensated. The four steps of stepping unit 125 are transmitted in the form of current impulses via a contact 174 of relay 142, the line 30, the closed contact of relay 9%, the contact 112 of relay 99 which was not energized, to the ratchet and pawl stepping mechanism 65 which steps the drum 61 four times. So long as the stepping unit is operative, the relay 144 will be energized via the contact 179 of relay 178 and a rectifier 184 (voltage valve), and a contact 185 associated with the relay 144 will apply positive voltage to a condenser 186, charging the same. As soon as the stepping unit 125 ceases to operate, upon the release of the contact 1799f relay 178, relay 144 releases and the condenser 186 discharges through relay 145. Relay and relays 146 and 147 will now operate rapidly in succession. Relay 146 is momentarily energized bycondenser discharge from relay 145. Similarly, relay 147 is energized from the condenser of relay 146. However, relay 147 does not respond until the contacts of relay 146 have released. The relay 145 controls the tens-transfer and will be later described. The relay 146 explores whether the associated storage mechanisms contain a positive or a negative total, which will be later described. The relay 147 controls the operating accounting machine via a line 187. By the disconnection of the line 187 from the positive voltage at contact 188 the completion of the storage process of value 4 in the storage mechanism is reported The disconnection I of line 187 is passedon through the accounting maback to the accounting machine.

chine to relay 141 via line 166. The connection between lines 187 and 166 in the accounting machine is: established every time a value is to be transmitted from the accounting machine to an accumulator. In known manner the brief disconnection of line 187 which is comprised in control cable 69, from the source of current causes the accounting machine to de-energize the relay 141. The relay 141 therefore opens contact 171 and disconnects line 500', thus causing relay 98 in the associated storage mechanism 21 likewise to release; Consequently, contacts 105 to 109 of relay 98 are restored to their former positions and the ratchet and pawl stepping mechanism 65 is disconnected from line 30. At the same time, the contacts 167 to separate lines 101 to 104 from the stepping units 125 to 128. When the relay 147 responds, it applies voltage through contact 188 to the contact bank 137 of stepping unit 125 and thence, via the wiper arm 189, to the second winding of relay 178.

The latter applies voltage through its operated contact 179 to relay which, through its contact 181, ener-I gizes the stepping unit 125. By the opening of' con 1' tact 182, the relay 180 isde-energized and opens its contact 181, with the result that steppingunit 125' is dis-' connected and closes its contact 182 'so that relay 180 can again respond and energizes the stepping unit 125 4 through contact 181'. This procedure is repeated until the wiper arm 189 has run off the contact bank 137, causing the relay 178 to open its contact 179 so that the relay 180 can no longer respond. The stepping unit 125 has been restored to its original or zero position.

The storage of a next value, sa 8, in the same storage mechanism is again performed in the manner that has been described. Since drum 61 has already stored the previous value "4, five more steps can be performed by the ratchet and pawl stepping mechanism 65 before, during the sixth step thereof, the wiper arm 89 connects with contact 85' on the tens-transfer ring 97 and applies potential via the closed contact 109 of the relay 98 to line 11, energizing the relay 150 via the closed contact 190 of relay 141. This relay 150 is self-holding through a contact 191. The seventh and eighth steps move the drum 61 (units drum) into position 2.

Owing to the brief operation of relay 145 voltage has been applied briefly via a contact 195 of the energized relay 150 to a relay 196. This latter relay via a contact 197 energizes the stepping unit 126 associated with the tens-decimal and this current impulse is further transmitted through a released contact 175 of relay 142, and thence through the line 31, the operated contact 106 of relay 98, and the released contact 113 of relay 99 to the ratchet and pawl stepping mechanism 66 which causes drum 62 (tens drum) of the storage mechanism 21 to be stepped once. Simultaneously, a current impulse travels viaa contact 198 of relay 196 in the control unit 20 and thence via a contact 199 of the energized relay 150 through the compensating coil of the latter relay and causes it to release by mutual conductance. Two relays 216 and 217 are provided to fulfill the same function as relay 196 in consecutive decimal points. The storage mechanism 21 has now stored a total 12. The brief operation of relays 146 and 147 initiates the restoration of the two stepping units 125 and 126 to zero in the manner that has been already described.

When it is desired to recover this stored total from the storage mechanism, voltage is applied by the accounting machine to the line 166 and line 200 (comprised in control cable 69). The relay 141 and its associated contacts 167 to 171 and 190, 192 and 193 as well as relay 142 with the contacts 174, 175 and further contacts 201 to 203 will then respond. The contact 203 applies voltage to line 510 (comprised in control cable 69) and the contact 171 applies voltage to line 500. Consequently, the relays 98 and 99 of the storage mechanism 21 are both energized and the wiper arm 81 of the digit ring 72 transmits the control voltage of the line 52 from the drum 61 (units drum) via the closed contact 112, the likewise closed contact 105, line 30, and the closed contacts 174, 172 (of relay 1'42), and 167 (of relay 141) to the line 101. Similarly, the wiper arm 82 will derive the control voltage of the line 51 from drum 62 (tens drum) and apply this via the closed contacts 113 and 106 to the line 31 and thence via the likewise closed contact 175, a contact 173 and the contact 168 to line 102. The two drums 63 and 64 representing higher decimals (hundreds drum, thousands drum) will transmit the control voltage associated with digit zero via the contact 201, a contact 204 and the contact 169 to line 103, and via the contact 202, a contact 205 and the contact 170 to line 104, respectively, in like manner.

The associated accounting machine can now use the value 12 as required, and then disconnect lines 166 and 200 in known manner.

Let it now be assumed that it is desired to subtract "9 from the value 12 stored in the storage mechanism 21. To this end voltage is applied by the accounting machine to the line 166 and a line 206 (comprised in the control cable 69).

The relay 141 will operate as described, and the relay 143 will close the contacts 176 and 177 and contacts 207 to 212, energizing relays 178 and 213 to 215, respectively, and it will also close a contact 218. When the control voltage associated with the value 9 is applied through line 101 and via contacts 167, 172, 177 to the relay 178, the same voltage will be applied through relay 178 via contact 176 to the wiper arm of contact bank 133. The contacts of said contact bank are connected with the different voltages in inverse sequence to the contacts of the contact bank 129. The stepping unit 125 will therefore now step the decimal complement of 10 and transmit one impulse via the contact 174, line 30, the closed contact of relay 98 and the contact 112 of relay 99 to the ratchet and pawl stepping mechanism 65 which steps drum 61 (units drum) thus moving the latter to digit 3. Through the lines 102, 103 and 104 the voltage associated with the value 0 will be applied to the stepping units 126 to 128. These latter step the decimal complement of "9 via the contact banks 134 to 136 and therefore transmit nine impulses via contacts 175, 201, 202, lines 31, 32, 39, the closed contacts 106, 107, 108 of relay 98, contacts 113, 114, of relay 99 to the respective ratchet and pawl stepping mechanisms 66, 67, 68 so that each of the drums 62, 63 and 64 will be stepped nine times. Voltage will now be applied by storage drum 62 (tens drum) through contact 86 of its tens-transfer ring and its associated wiper arm 90 to the relay 151 via contact 110 and line 12. Consequently, the tens-transfer relay will now operate and, in the manner already described, cause the stepping units 127 and 128 and hence the ratchet and pawl stepping mechanisms 67 and 68 consecutively to perform one more step each, hence further advancing the relative drums in the storage mechanism 21 from position "9" to position 0. The result is therefore that drum 61 will register 3, whereas the remain ing drums 62 to 64 will register 0. Via the contact 88 of the tens-transfer ring of the fourth decimal in the storage mechanism 21, and its wiper arm 92, relay 153 has been energized through line 10, and this relay is selfholding via contacts 219 and 188.

Relay 146 which had been operated in conjunction with the tens-transfer relay applies voltage through a contact 220 via the operated contact 218 to a contact 221, but since the latter is now open the circuit is here interrupted.

The stored value 3 can now be recovered from the storage mechanism 21 and further used in the manner that has been already described.

If a further value 9 is to be deducted from the total stored in the storage mechanism 21, the corresponding voltage is again applied by the accounting machine to the control unit and finally to the storage mechanism as above explained. The result of the consequent operations will be to leave drum 61 in position 4 and each of the remaining drums 62 to 64 in position "9. In this instance relay 153 has not been operated because the drum 61 is not advanced through contact 85 and no voltage has been applied by wiper arm 89. The voltage applied through contact 220 of relay 146 can then take effect through the closed contact 218, contact 221 of relay 153, contact bank 161, and energize relay 154 which holds itself through a contact 222.

If it is now desired to recover the stored amount -6 for use in the accounting machine, the withdrawing operations are again performed as above described, excepting that now voltage is applied to a line 224 (comprised in the control cable 69) via a contact 223 of relay 154 and the contact bank 162 associated with the stepping unit 158, and this causes the control elements in the accounting machine to change over to the reproduction of decimal complements. Due to this, the negative value 6" is represented in the accounting machine.

The relay 154 is held during the following operations by contact 222 until voltage is applied to the compensating winding of relay 154 through contact 220 of relay 146, contact 218, and the operated contact 221 of relay 153 via contact bank 160. In other words, a positive sum will be stepped into the storage mechanism 21.

If it is desired to clear a storage mechanism, a negative voltage must be applied to this storage mechanism through the selector arms of stepping unit 158. If voltage is now applied through a line 225 (comprised in control cable 69), then relay 143 will respond. This relay energizes relay 149 through a contact 226 and, through contact 190, line 11 and contact 109 of relay 93, it also applies voltage to relay 100 which closes its contact 116. Relay 149 closes a contact 227 and transmits an impulse via contact 192, line 12, contact 110, and the closed contact 116 to the clearing rings 46 to 49 of drums 61 to 64. The Wiper arms 93 to 96 of these clearing rings 46 to 49 are connected via the contacts 105 to 108 and 112 to 115 with the magnets of the ratchet and pawl stepping mechanisms 65 to 63 so that these receive one impulse and turn the drums 61 to 64 one step. At the same time the compensating winding of relay 149 will be energized via the contact 227 so that said relay releases and opens its contact 227. Since the relay 148 continues to energize one winding of relay 149, the latter again responds and closes its contact 227. In this manner, the relay 149 will give a succession of impulses which step the ratchet and pawl stepping mechanisms of all the storage drums until the gaps 26 to 29 in the clearing rings 46 to 49 automatically break the energizing circuits of the ratchet and pawl stepping mechanisms 65 to 68 when the drums reach their basic (i.e. zero) positions.

The wiper arms 93 to 96 of the clearing rings 46 to 49 apply the impulses via the rectifiers 117 (voltage valves), the contact 111, the line 13 and a contact 228 to the relay 148 as holding potential. When all the drums have been zeroise-d, the holding potential is interrupted and the relay 143 releases. This also de-energizes relay 149.

The stepping unit 158 for selecting the storage mechanisms can be restored in known manner via a line 229 (comprised in control cable 69), the contact bank 163, a contact 230, and the relay 164.

From the above detailed description of the invention, it is believed that the construction will at once be apparent, and While there is herein shown and described a preferred embodiment of the invention, it is nevertheless to be understood that minor changes may be made therein without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as claimed.

We claim:

1. In an information processing system in which information is supplied to and removed from the system by standard office accounting type machines and which comprises electrical interconnection apparatus for transmitting information among said machines including at least one electro-mechanical accumulator, a control unit, means in said control unit for receiving information from said input and output machines in the form of potentials unique to each kind of information to be transmitted, first means in said control unit for generating electrical pulses to select which of said accumulators is to store each item of incoming information, second means in said control unit responsive to said unique potentials for generating electrical impulses representative of each item of information to be stored and for applying said impulses to said accumultors, and means in said control unit for reading information stored in each of said accumulators directly as potentials unique to each kind of information stored for direct transmission to said input and output machines, the accumulator, for each decimal order, comprising one storage drum actuated by electromagnetic impulse-controlled stepping means, and further including a transmission line capable of being switched over associated with the storage drum and its electromagnetic stepping means, said transmission line being selectively connectable for entering and withdrawing values.

2. In an information processing system in which information is supplied to and removed from the system by standard ofiice accounting type machines and which comprises electrical interconnection apparatus for transmitting information among said machines including at least one electromechanical accumulator, a control unit,

means in said control unit for receiving information from said input and output machines in the form of potentials unique to each kind of information to be transmitted, first means in said control unit for generating electrical pulses to select Which of said accumulators is to store each item of incoming information, second means in said control unit responsive to said unique potentials for generating electrical impulses representative of each item of information to be stored and for applying said impulses to said accumulators, and means in said control unit for reading information stored in each of said accumulators directly as potentials unique to each kind of information stored for direct transmission to said input and output machines, the accumulator, for each decimal order, comprising one storage drum actuated by electromagnetic impulse-controlled stepping means, and further including a transmission line capable of being switched over associated with each one of the storage drums and the electromagnetic stepping means thereof, the storage drums for storing equivalent decimal orders being connected with the same transmission line in all the accumulators and the individual accumulators being adapted to be selectively operated and having a common decimal carryover group.

3. In an information processing system in which in.- formation is supplied to and removed from the system by standard office accounting type machines and which comprises electrical interconnection apparatus for transmitting information among said machines including at least one electro-mechanical accumulator, a control unit, means in said control unit for receiving information from said input and output machines in the form of potentials unique to each kind of information to be transmitted, first means in said control unit for generating electrical pulses to select which of said accumulators is to store each item of incoming information, second means in said control unit responsive to said unique potentials for generating electrical impulses representative of each item of information to be stored and for applying said impulses to said accumulators, and means in said control unit for read ing information stored in each of said accumulators directly as potentials unique to each kind of information stored for direct transmission to said input and output machines, the accumulator, for each decimal order, ,comprising one storage drum actuated by electromagnetic impulse-controlled stepping means, and further including a transmission line, capable of being switched over, asso-- ciated with each one of the storage drums and the electro magnetic stepping means thereof, the storage drums for storing equivalent decimal orders being connected with the same transmission line in all the accumulators and the individual accumulators being adapted to be operated in groups and each one of the accumulators having a separate decimal carry-over group.

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